Study On Habitats, Populations And Home Ranges Of The Reintroduced Przewalskts Horses And Activities Rhythms Of Coexistence Wolvs

From2011to2013, The dynamic change of habitats、population changes andhome ranges were studied by reintroducing przewalski’s horses (Equus przewalskii) inthe Qiaomuxibai of Mt. Kalamaili Ungulate Nature Reserve, Xinjiang, and studiedthe activities rhythms of wolves which coexisted with reintroducing przewalski’shorses. The main conclusions are as follows:（1）In2011and2012, The study area was no significant difference betweenrainfall and the most suitable habitat。but in2013, the total amount of rainfall andthere are significant differences between the most suitable habitat.That is with theincrease of rainfall in the most suitable habitat on the increase of the proportion, andnot suitable habitat also lower proportion with the increase of rainfall constantly. Inother words, the study area of ground vegetation coverages and the annualprecipitation have a close relationship.（2）The reintroducing Przewalski’s horses increased foals mortalities werecaused by various reasons. The assumption that under ideal conditions, the reservebreeding groups of minimum survival population (MVP) should be at least50, andprotecting przewalski’s horses should cause enough attention, its protection priorityprojects are for establishing breeding groups, stable releasing and improvingprzewalski’s horses living habitats. The average extinction time is100a, Such asenvironmental conditions deteriorate further, the extinction of wild happenedprobability will be improved to a great extent, the extinction time will also go to50-100a in advance. If to establish reasonable breeding group, combined withbreeding groups of natural population gradually and added protection measures, thereintroducing przewalski’s horses is expected to survive more than100a.（3）Home ranges of the released Przewalski’s horses were calculated using theMinimum Convex Polygon (MCP) method. We used Nested-ANOVA to test the nullhypotheses: there were no differences between home ranges and its overlaps betweenhome ranges of wild horse among seasons and years. We also used family sizes ascovariant to test the impact of the family sizes on home ranges in wild horses with ANOVA. We found that: Their home ranges areas increased from20±2km2(Mean±SE) in2011to30±2km2in2012. In2011and2012, the home ranges of the familywith same head stallions did not change significantly (P<0.05).（4）Home ranges of different horse families were significantly different, homeranges in spring＞that in autumn＞that in Summer. Home range overlapping areasbetween any groups of wild horses were not correlated with family members in2011,but home ranges overlapping areas between any groups of wild horses were correlatedwith family members in2012. Home ranges overlapping areas and family memberswere positive significant correlated.（5）Home ranges overlapping areas between wild horses were significantlydifferent among seasons. Duncan indicated that seasonal home ranges overlap of No.5,7and8families were significantly larger whereas those of No.3,6and9families were significantly smaller. Results of Principal Component Analysis showedthat the main biological factors which affected the home ranges of wild horses wereherb coverages, shrub coverages, whereas non-biological factors mainly weretemperature, humidity, wind, the nearest distance to water source and distance tonearest human settlements. The temperature and shrub cover were two major factorswhich influenced home ranges of the reintroducing przewalski’s horses, and both ofthem were significantly correlated with the home ranges areas of wild horses.（6）From2011to2013, we studied activities rhythms of wolves(Canis lupus)by the infrared camera traps in the Qiaomuxibai areas for monitoring the releaseingprzewalski’s horses in the Mt. Kalamaili Ungulate Nature Reserve. We found: thedifferent month daily-discrepancy index (α) and diurnal-nocturnal index (β) wereobvious difference, and β value be0.45<13/24, indicating wolves were nocturnalanimal in the studied area. From2011to2013, Activity patterns of seasons hasobvious difference, we conclude that: in different years and seasons, the wolfactivities rhythms have obvious difference and concerned various reasons.（7）The field monitoring is not only a scientific accumulation of making certainthe reintroducing Przewalski’s horses need to return to nature, but also can provide thereintroduction data for related species in future.